In My Field of Paper Flowers
by Black And White Kirara
Summary: After the final battle, Kagome has been struck and left for dead by Naraku, in a very similar way in which he killed Kikyou. Will Kagome survive, or will she suffer the same fate as Kikyou?
1. After the Final battle

**22nd May 09: From Black And White Kirara - a message to all my readers is at the end!**

**Okay, I've had this story buzzing around in my head FOREVER...**

**It'd be soooo great if something like this would actually happen in the manga OR the anime or both; alas no such luck yet... but hey, I can dream...**

**This may contain SOME spoilers from the recent and past chapters of the manga, so don't read if you dont wanna know... you have been warned!**

**I do not own InuYasha, that right belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and her alone (If I did something like this would have happened by now...) - we clear on that? I will accept all **_**constructive **_**critisism but try not to be too harsh :3**

**1. After the Final Battle: By Your Side Forever?**

xXx

_"InuYasha, can I ask you a simple question?" The voice asked._

_There was silence._

_"InuYasha, will you let me stay?"_

_A moment of hesitation passed, and then..._

_"You mean, you'll stay here with me?" _

_"Hmhmm." _

xXx

InuYasha awoke with a start, his golden eyes glistening in the moonlight. He slowly began to sit up, silver hair cascading off of his shoulders and onto his back. His white dog ears twitched, taking in the sounds of the pitter-patter of light rain. He barely begun to register his surroundings, when a single name popped into his head.

_Kagome._

o-o-o-o

" W-Wha? ...Wh..what happened?" stuttered a weakened Sango, as she slowly opened her eyes from her position on the floor, where she lay sprawled out on her back.

Sango sat up, and directed her gaze out infront of her. It was night time, and a light drizzle of rain was falling around her.

"...I-InuYasha? Kirara? Kagome?... Miroku! _Anyone!_" Sango shouted out, feeling the panic starting to set in when no one answered.

But then...

"S-Sango? I-Is that y-you?"

"M-Miroku? Are you alright? Where are you?! Answer me, please!" She yelled.

"O-Over here... Follow my voice..." Miroku replied.

Sango did as he instructed and eventually found him hidden from view behind a fallen tree. Like her, she figured he hadn't long regained consciousness, so she held him round the shoulders with one arm to help him up as he attempted to stand.

Miroku muttered a polite thank you, then looked gravely at his surroundings. As he took in the landscape, he grew more and more anxious and worried. _Not good at all._ He thought.

The two were standing in what looked like the remains of a deeply scarred battle field. There were over-turned trees everywhere, scorch marks over the cliff walls that surrounded them and the esscence of blood and death could be felt everywhere. The heavining rain did nothing to shrug the image.

Sango turned to Miroku, as did he to her, and the two suddenly recalled the past events.

"The final battle with Naraku." They both said simaltaneously.

Memories came flooding back to them both. In the final blow that had ended Naraku's sorry life there had been a great explosion as the nefarious hanyou was separated from the jewel, and that had then been followed by a great blast of wind that had sent themselves, Kirara, InuYasha and Kagome in opposite dirrections, separating them all.

"Miroku! We have to find InuYasha and Kagome! They could be - " Sango was abruptly cut off from a small mew from her feet. She looked down to see Kirara, her faithful nekomata friend safe and well by her side. There was large gash in the cat's right side; it looked painful, but at least it had stopped bleeding.

"Oh Kirara! You're safe to! Thank goodness..." Sango said and she leant down to hold Kirara close.

"It's good to see that Kirara's alright." Miroku said as he watched Sango stroke the purring neko.

All seemed well for a few moments but then the prospect that their friends could be lying hurt and or worse somewhere came straight back. Kirara seemed to register this too, mewing in apparent apphrension as her head shot round like a bullet to survey the landscape. The neko growled low in her throat at the mass destruction she saw.

"Sango, we have to find InuYasha and Kagome! Do you think Kirara is strong enough to ride?" Miroku asked the taijiya hastily. She could see the worry in his eyes as she shook her head.

"I don't think so. She has a large gash on her side, it's not too serious but its going to keep her down for a while."

"Then how do we find the others? They need our help now! What if - " but Miroku stopped in mid sentence. The houshi's eyes went wide and became alarmed as he seemed to suddenly recall something important...

"S-Sango! Do you remember what happened just before we were flung backwards?" Miroku asked.

"What do you mean...? We were... Wait..." Sango's eyes widened in shock and fear as she realised what Miroku was refering to.

_-Flashback-_

_**"KAGOME!" InuYasha screamed as he watched the scene of horror unfold infront of him.**_

_**As the combined arrow and sword attack destroyed him, Naraku sent forward one last devestating blow. He ramned one of his tentales straight forward at the young miko. It pierced through Kagome's chest. **_

_**"No! Kagome!" Sango had shouted in disbelief as she watched her closest friend and sister fall. She'd only just saved Kohaku, she couldn't lose Kagome now!**_

_**Kagome's eyes widened in shock as she watched the tentacle pierce the right side of her chest, just below her shoulder; right where Kikyou had been struck and died so many years ago. **_

_**InuYasha barely had time to run to her as Naraku's armoured body exploded and a great afterblast knocked him unconscious, sending him and his friends flying backwards. They only heard one voice as they drifted into darkness.**_

_**"Ku Ku Ku InuYasha. You will lose another you care deeply for, as history repeats itself..."**_

_-End Flashback-_

"Oh no... _Kagome! _We _have _to find her, and find her now!" Sango practically screamed.

"I agree, dear Sango, but looking for her in our state and without Kirara or InuYasha's keen sence of smell will be literally impossible. We have to get help first. " Miroku replied, doing his best to remain calm and handle the situation the best he could, for both their sakes.

"Just how do you propose we do that houshi?! InuYasha is no where around and we're miles from any village! Can't you see that?!" Sango yelled at Miroku, tears now falling down her face with worry.

"Sango, listen to me. Succumbing to your panic will solve nothing. We have to think clearly, come up with a plan and- "

"- _Miroku! Sango!_ Are you guys alright?!"

Miroku and Sango looked off to their right to see a frustrated looking InuYasha running towards them.

"InuYasha!" They both shouted in relief at seeing one of their friends safe.

But Kagome... wasn't with him.

InuYasha ran up to them all, quickly scanning them for injury. They were both covered in bruises and scratches, and Kirara had the gash on her side, but apart from that, he was glad to find none of them were seriously hurt.

However, his relief disappeared as something dawned on him - Kagome was not with them.

_Oh kami..._

"Where's Kagome?" InuYasha demanded.

Sango and Miroku looked up to meet InuYasha's golden eyes. Sango could say nothing as tears threatened to fall again, and Miroku's face turned to one of deep sorrow and sadness.

"We... We dont kno- " Miroku had begun to reply, but stopped when InuYasha growled and took off again calling out Kagome's name. _InuYasha. _Miroku thought.

He knew they'd all be truly devastated if Kagome wasn't okay. Shippo, Kaede, Kohaku, Kirara, him and Sango would suffer greatly. But it would nothing compared to what InuYasha would feel.

_He's only just lost Kikyou to Naraku for a second time. How will it be if he loses Kagome now too?_

o-o-o-o

InuYasha was running faster than he'd ever ran before, looking and sniffing for any hint of Kagome, but finding nothing. He continued calling out her name, all the while cursing himself for being so stupid and careless.

Kagome's face appeared in his mind. The miko was smiling like normal when she was here in the fuedal era with him and her friends. All the times they'd had together, the good and the bad... it all came back to him.

_-Flashback-_

_**"Sorry, I didn't wake you did I?" Kagome asked after she'd finished dabbing the hanyou-turned-human's sweat laiden forehead.**_

_**"No. Kagome...?" InuYasha asked.**_

_**"What is it?"**_

_**"Tell me something, why were you crying?"**_

_**"Back in the other room? Because I... I thought I was going to lose you... I thought you were going to... die."**_

_**He turned his head.**_

_**"You... shed tears for me. Cried for me. Kagome? If it's not too much trouble, may I lie my head in your lap?"**_

_**She was taken aback for a moment, he could see, but it didn't last long.**_

_**"Um... Uh-huh. "**_

_-End flashback-_

_That was the first time anyone except my mother cried for me, I was hurt an unable to fight, but instead of leaving me in my human state Kagome risked her own life to save me... _InuYasha thought to himself.

_-Flashback-_

_**"I thought that by complimenting Kouga he wouldn't get on to you about your scent!" Kagome insisted.**_

_**"Yeah but your eyes were all sparkly and stuff! You know you get a little too friendly when that guy's around, Kagome!" InuYasha bit back. She growled in a very un-lady-like manner at the implication that the word 'friendly' gave.**_

_**"I do not!"**_

_**"Do too!"**_

_-End flashback-_

Despite the current situation, InuYasha had to laugh at that memory. Okay, he'd admit now that he was a _little _jealous when she'd complimented that stupid wolf prince, but never would he tell Kagome that.

But even though he had been happy with Kagome, he knew he'd still had other responsibilities to forfil; like avenging a certain dead priestess...

_Kikyou. I lost her because of my lack of faith and trust in her, and I was unable to save her soul for a second time when Naraku killed her again. It hurt so much to lose her all over again, to know I'd never see her again. _

_But then, the only thing that kept me going was knowing that I still had someone who needed me. Needed me to protect and be with them. Kagome. _

_I was hurting so much when Kikyou died. I shunned everyone, especially Kagome. I didn't realise that Kagome was hurting as much, or if possible, more than me. I'd been so selfish and blinded by my pain that I didn't notice her own. It was then that I realised that Kagome needed me to live and be there with her, just as she'd promised so long ago to stay with me. I would protect her, keep her safe, so she wouldn't have to suffer again._

InuYasha mentally slapped himself and scoffed. _Some protector I am. _

He felt it his fault completely that Kagome been struck by Naraku, in the exact spot that had killed Kikyou so long ago. What kind of game had Naraku been playing? On the brink of death and deciding he'd take Kagome with him? As a final act to make everyone suffer for his defeat, he would _dare _to try and kill someone else who mattered _so _much to InuYasha? Someone he'd give his life for, if it meant she'd live?

Was that Naraku's plan all along, to kill everyone InuYasha ever cared for? Kikyou, and now Kagome?

_No! _That wasn't true. Kagome _wasn't_ dead. She was alright. She _had_ to be alright. She just had to be...

"KAGOME! _Kagome!_ Kagome can you hear me?! Say something! _Where are you Kagome?!_" InuYasha screamed out into the cold night air.

The rain was coming down much harder now. He knew if she wasn't okay, he'd never be able to forgive himself, and he doubted he'd be able to move on either. He couldn't imagine his life without Kagome. She shouldn't have, but she had become too bigger part of his life for him to lose.

InuYasha continued his search. He vowed that he would never stop until he found her, no matter how long it took.

_-Flashback-_

_**"Besides."**_

_**InuYasha turned his head from his spot on the tree to look at the young girl from the future.**_

_**"In a wierd way, I was kinda glad when it was happening."**_

_**He raised an eyebrow, trying to calculate her expression to see what on earth she was thinking. She laughed.**_

_**"I mean, I'm glad that I was by your side."**_

_-End flashback-_

"You've got to be okay Kagome! You just have to be! I'll never forgive myself if you're not!" InuYasha shouted, hearing whispered memories of Kagome's voice.

_**...I want to be with you InuYasha; I tried to forget you, but I can't.**_

_Just hold on Kagome, I'm coming. Just hold on..._

xXx

**Reviews are still very much appreciated :3 Hey there by the way, this is Jess, and I've just finished revising and editing this chapter, something I've been planning on doing for a long time now. ALL chapters of this story will recieve the same treatment - don't worry, the plot and everything is still the same, but I couldn't stand all the spelling mistakes, typos and errors etc. that I'd made before - I was new and inexperienced! Also a little too eager lol. **

**I'm getting back into the swing of writing nowadays - I've still got more exams, but it's half-term now, so I get a break from studying! Yay for me. I'll post a few chapters up next week, probably one for **_**Starlight, **_**and definitely a few or so for **_**Change the World. **_**Sorry for the long wait, but I hope you can appreciate why. It won't be long now before I'm GCSE free, all ties to my high school life virtually broken (work-wise)! **

Black And White Kirara **(**Jess-chan**) **

**xxx**

_**(Starlight:**__**Chapter**__**12**__: -Valse de la Lune- __**coming soon!)**_


	2. Kagome, Naraku and Kikyou

**22nd May 09 - chapter revised - at 11:30 pm!!**

**Ritey, here's the next chapter...**

**I'm going to try and make it as realistic and true to the anime and manga as possible, so characters won't be **_**too**_** OOC. Hopefully :3**

**2. Kagome, Naraku and Kikyou: Battle Inside Me**

Kagome awoke to a searing pain in her chest, and found it very difficult to move at all. She noticed she was laying on the cold ground floor in what appeared to be some sort of badly scorched precipice. She was laying next to a large tree, one of the only trees that seemed to be standing in the vast, tattered landscape.

Her body soaked due to the rain, and she could feel her hair being tossed about gently in some sort of small stream. She tried slowly to sit up, but the pain that escalated from her chest made it impossible.

_Wh-where am I? W-What happened? _Kagome mentally asked herself. _Ahh! My chest! It hurts soo much! _

Kagome's hand clutched her shoulder area desperately, and she felt something wet and sticky all over her shirt. She slowly inclined her head towards it. _H-Huh? B-Blood? I'm... I'm bleeding..._

Kagome new she wouldn't last much longer like this, she was loosing _so _much blood, and hell was it painful.

"I-InuYasha!" Kagome managed to croak out. "W-Where are you? _InuYasha!_"

_-Ku Ku Ku Kagome, do you not remember what happened?- _A cruel, sinister voice spoke from somewhere. From her mind.

_Huh? W-Who are you? _Kagome asked mentally, fear creeping up inside of her. The voice sounded frightengly familiar.

_-Ahh young Miko, do you not see me?- _It continued.

_N-...Naraku!! _Kagome finally recognised the chilling voice. _How can you be here?! You're dead! _

Wait. Dead. Naraku... was dead? _No. _Everything that had taken place before in the final battle came back to Kagome. Naraku's deadly tentacle piercing her, the white-hot pain she felt, the complete darkness as she blacked out. Naraku had been killed, and it looked like he was planning on taking her with him.

A thought filled with dread and worry came to her mind. _InuYasha._

_Where is he Naraku?! Where is InuYasha?! And what about Sango, Miroku and Kirara?! _Kagome mentally screamed at Naraku.

_-Patience young Miko, patience. They are all fine, and will be here in due time. It is your current condition that should concern you...-_

_Naraku! What are you planning?! How can you be here if you're dead?! I saw it! We destroyed you! You can't really be here at all! _

_-Oh but I am Kagome, at least what's left of my spirit is. The Shikon jewell is gone from my body, so I could not survive your combined attack with InuYasha, but my spirit remains, at least for a little while. I plan to use the time I have left to make your life hell... I want you and your pathetic friends to suffer.-_

**"KAGOME! **_**Kagome! **_**Kagome say something! **_**Where are you Kagome?!**_**" **InuYasha's voice brought Kagome to her senses.

"INUYASHA! I'm here InuYasha! I'm over here!" Kagome screamed to him with as much volume as she could muster given her state, though she couldn't see him.

_-Ku Ku Ku Kagome, it's no use. He can't hear or see you.-_

_What? Why not?! What have you done?! _

_-The dark part of the Shikon no tama is hiding you, using your very own spiritual power it sealed. InuYasha can't get to you, at least not until I want him to find you.-_

_What are you planning?! _Kagome screamed at him.

_-As I said before Kagome, I want to see you all suffer, especially InuYasha. It's what I do best. With you gone, there will be nothing left for him to live for. When Kikyou died, it nearly destroyed him inside, and the only thing that kept him going was knowing he had friends and you especially to protect. Can you imagine what it will be like for him to lose another woman he loves? I can, and it brings me great pleasure to know that even after my death he will suffer...-_

_NO! You're wrong! He won't suffer like with Kikyou! He won't let you do that to him again! He's better than that! _Kagome felt herself losing it big time.

_-Thats where you're wrong, Kagome. Losing you will be like losing a part of himself. I've watched and seen how he has tried to stop it, how he has tried not to get close to you like he did with Kikyou. Pathetic, it was. He couldn't escape the inevitable, and against his own wishes, he came to develop feelings for you, while still holding his love for Kikyou.-_

_InuYasha may care for me, but he doesn't love me! Those are feelings he has for Kikyou and her alone! It doesn't matter how much I might love him! I can't compare to what he feels for her! Even in death! _

_-You are truly mistaken Kagome, and you will see how blind you are in time.-_

_No... _Kagome didn't know what to do, then suddenly...

_**Leave now Naraku!**_

_-What?!- Naraku's voice suddenly cracked, taking on an unusual note of fear._

_**I command you to leave! Leave and go to hell!**_

Kagome knew that calm and sophisticated voice. A voice she didn't think she'd ever hear again.

_Ki... Kikyou? Is that really you...? _Kagome thought.

_-How is this possible?! You are a dead woman Kikyou! You cannot be here! I killed you myself!- _Naraku's tone held untold fury and terror.

_**The same can be said for you half-demon, now leave! **_Kikyou countered.

_-You cannnot make me bitch. I possess far more power than you, even in death! I will drive you back to the depths of hell!-_

_**Very well Naraku. If you will not pass on and meet your own fate, then I will certify that you for you. You will no longer be a cause of the greatest of suffering. **_

_-NO! YOU CANNOT DO THAT KIKYOU! I HAVE THE GREATER STRENGH AND POWER! I GOT RID OF YOU, DID I NOT?!-_

It seemed that the voice of Kikyou was not listening, and Kagome could only watch from within her mind's eye as Kikyou's very own will power sent Naraku back into the depths of hell. Naraku's true scream of defeat as Kikyou's light pierced him was tremendous. At last, Naraku was truly gone, spirit and all.

Kagome was left in awe and shock.

Kikyou had come back some how and saved her? Or was just her spirit like Naraku? Was she really there at all? Was she seeing things? The blood loss would explain...

_**Do not be afraid Kagome. I am not here to hurt you. **_Kikyou said, her voice warm and soothing now that Naraku was gone.

_How can I be sure it's really you? How can I be sure that you're not just another part of Naraku's plan? _

Kikyou laughed. _**This must seem confusing Kagome, but I can asure you it is really I, Kikyou, priestess and former protector of the Shikon no tama, a duty I passed on to you in my passing. **_

Kagome wasn't sure why, but she found it hard not to believe the kindly voice.

_**I am here in spirit only Kagome, for my body is long gone. **_

Kagome became aware that an image of Kikyou was kneeling beside her battered form. She may have only been a spirit, but that did nothing to supress Kikyou of her calm demeanor and beautiful face. She looked just as she had before she died, the scars of Naraku's poison spiderwebs long gone. There was a difference though. Whereas Kikyou had always been so troubled and melancholy before, she was smiling now, something Kagome had rarely seen in the time they'd known eachother.

_**Kagome, I owe you my gratitude. **_Kikyou said.

_._

_Wha...? Why are you thanking me Kikyou? What did I do? I've failed you, I failed to keep my promise to you. I couldn't purify the Shikon no tama or save you from death._ Kagome tolf the dead miko, truly confused.

_**You did more for me than you realise Kagome, more than I had ever come to expect from you. **_Kikyou replied.

_What do you mean? _

_**You stayed with him. You stayed with InuYasha. It was something I had never been able to do. **_

_Huh? Why would you thank me for that? I was always going to try my best to be with him, by his side, just like I promised him. _Kagome was utterly confused at why Kikyou would want to thank her for something she'd do without a second thought. It was ludicrous to think otherwise.

Kikyou chuckled quietly once again, smiling as she explained her reasoning.

_**Because, Kagome, when I was alive, I never had the chance I wated to truly be with him, and I suppose, in a way... I did not deserve to. I wished to live as a normal woman, with him, but only if he was willing to become human. I was willing to change him for my own happiness, something I know you would never ask of him. I only ever knew my mistake after I had passed on, and by then it was far too late. I did though, in a way, get a second chance in life. **_

_What do you mean?_ Kagome asked, growing ever more curious.

_**I recieved a second chance through you. You are my reincarnation. We have the same soul, so in a sense we are the same person, just having led different lives in different times. Yet we are very different still Kagome. Tell me, why **_**do**_** you stay with InuYasha? **_

_Because I... Well... I... _Kagome sucked in a painful breath. _I love him Kikyou, I'm sorry._

_**Silly girl, why are you sorry for loving him?**_

_Well, you love him too, don't you Kikyou? _Kagome asked.

_**My heart will forever belong to him, but I want him to move on in his life aswell. I do not wish to see him forever over shadowed by me. I am happy that he can love again. I am happy that he loves you. **_Kikyou informed Kagome with a smile once more.

_He doesn't love me Kikyou, he'll only ever love you. _The younger miko's voice was heartbreakingly broken.

Kikyou shook her head. _**You are wrong Kagome. He does love you, as much you love him, more than he loves himself. He'd give his life for you.**_

Kagome thought about this. InuYasha did always protect her. He had cared for when she was sick, he had opened up to her about his past, and no matter how had always run to Kikyou, he always came back to her, no matter what. After Kikyou had died for a second time, he still stayed with her, though she had been sure his heart was breaking. Kagome had wanted nothing more than to mend it for him. To see him laugh. To see him smile. For him to live again.

_Kikyou, this wound in my chest... Am I going to... die?_ Kagome finally asked.

Kikyou studied her for a few seconds, and her smile faltered a little.

_**Yes Kagome. Like me so many years before you, you will die. You are destined to.**_

o-o-o-o

"Damnit all to hell! Why can't I find her?!" InuYasha yelled to the sky.

He was growing increasingly frustrated and worried. He should have picked up some sign of by now - a hint, or something.

A smell suddenly caught his keen nose. It was faint, but still there. Though instead of soothing his worries, it only made them worse.

_Kagome's blood!_

He bounded off back in the direction he had come, as the rain came down harder than ever.

o-o-o-o

_I... I don't want to die Kikyou! I don't want to leave him! I don't want to leave my family, or Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kaede, Kirara, Kohaku, anyone_! Kagome pleaded, as if Kikyou could somehow save her. But the dead priestess didn't possess that level of power.

_**I know Kagome, but there is nothing you or I can do. You must be brave though. You mus not fear death. It is something that happens to us all eventually, natural or not...**_

Kagome knew this wasn't what she wanted to hear, but what could she do?

She made a split second decision.

_Kikyou, I want to see InuYasha one last time, can you do that for me? _Kagome asked, pleading once again. She had to at _least _see him once more.

At last Kikyou's smile returned. _**You will see him Kagome. Be sure of that, one last time.**_

Kagome smiled, relief over-coming the fear she'd felt just moments ago. _Thank you Kikyou._

_**The barrier hiding you will disperse, and he will catch your scent soon enough. You must try to hold on until then though. **_Kikyou said.

_I will, Kikyou. _Kagome was glad she'd be able to say goodbye, even if it was for the last time.

_Kikyou? Can I ask you one more thing? Will you stay with me, at least until InuYasha gets finds me here?_ Kagome asked. She didn't want to be left alone, and Kikyou's presense was very calming and welcoming. Kikyou didn't hesitate.

_**Yes Kagome. I will stay with you, for as long as I can.**_

The barrier hiding Kagome vanished.

_Thank you Kikyou. For everything._

o-o-o-o

InuYasha could hear Sango and Miroku catching up to him. He however, could think of nothing than the metallic scent of blood that was growing stronger every second. He could only pray he wasn't too late to save Kagome.

InuYasha came up along a small stream, and in the distance he could see a large tree, one of the only trees that had been left standing in the aftermath of the battle. He looked at the stream again, and fear gripped his heart as he noticed that there was a thin line of blood flowing with it, gradually growing thicker as he neared the tree. _Please Kagome! Just wait for me!_

He skidded to a hault. He'd seen a limp figure sprawled out infront of the tree, long black hair fanning out around them, and red blood leaking out of their chest. His eyes could only widen and stare in horror, as he recognised the battered body of the woman he'd grown to care so much for.

_Kagome._

xXx

**Yay! second chappie up and finished!**

**Ok, this may have been a little depressing or saddening, but you know, impending death is like that. But anyway tell me what you think please!**

**So basically Kagome has realised she is going to die, and Kikyou is going stay there with her. I decided to include Kikyou in some way to show that she honestly wasn't a bad person, and thought this might be a good way to demonstrate this.**

**So what will become of them all? How will they all take it when they find Kagome, and **w**ill she really die?** **You will have to wait and see! But please, keep reviewing!**


	3. InuYasha and Kagome

**The next chapter... I've recently had alot of new ideas flooding into my head about this story could end...this might be the last chapter, but I don't think so, I'll probably write a bit more still.**

**Anyway please keep letting me know what you think! **

**On with the story...**

**InuYasha and Kagome: My last breath?**

It took about three seconds, but it seemed like forever to InuYasha. However, it did finally register in his brain that he needed to get to Kagome. _Now._

He willed his legs to move, and in no time at all found himself finally at Kagome's side, where he needed to be.

InuYasha scanned her body and nearly broke down. Her wet hair stuck to her forehead. Blood was literally cascading out of the wound in her chest, staining her white school blouse completely red. Her face was covered in cuts and half of her shirt had been completely torn away, revealing yellow and purple bruises on her stomach. InuYasha felt his heart stop.

He gently cradeled her head. Her eyes remained shut. He broke back a sob.

_" No. Please no. Not now Kagome! Don't do this now! "_

A memory flashed in his head.

_**Flashback**_

_**InuYasha glared at the woman infront of him as she spoke.**_

_**" Kikyou, Kikyou, Kikyou! Whoever she is, shes NOT me! "**_

_**" Well I say you gotta be her! How else could you smell so..." InuYasha stopped in mid sentence, taking in a good long whiff of her. **_

_**" You're not her..." He eventually said.**_

_**" Thats what I've been trying to tell you! My name is KAGOME! Ka-go-me! " The woman called Kagome said.**_

_**End flashback**_

InuYasha shook his head violently, bringing Kagome to rest in his lap. He was really struggling not to cry now.

" Kagome! Kagome! You've gotta wake up Kagome! Wake up damnit! " InuYasha shouted in vain, shaking Kagome slightly.

For a moment nothing happened, and InuYasha brought his forehead down to rest on hers, preying with the Gods that she would open her eyes. Then, after what seemed like a lifetime, she stirred.

InuYasha sat up instantly and looked at her face. She was moving slightly, and her eyes were slowly opening...

_-With Sango, Miroku and Kirara-_

" We're catching up Sango! " Miroku yelled behind him.

" Yes, I know! Lets just hope InuYasha's found her! " Kirara mewed in agreement at Sango's side.

_" I just hope he found her in time..." _Sango thought, dreading the consequences on Kagome's part that they might face if he had not been able to.

_-With InuYasha and Kagome-_

" ...err...Inu..InuYasha?..." Kagome asked weakly, as she stared into his face, " You...you're alright...I'm so glad..."

InuYasha felt that he could jump for joy when he saw her move, even more so when she began to speak, but then realisation of how seriously hurt Kagome was came flooding back like a pile of rocks.

" Shhhh...D-Don't speak Kagome...please..just...just save you're energy...I'm gonna get you back to the village in no time..." InuYasha tried to reassure her aswell as himself.

" No...InuYasha, look at me, theres no hope..." Kagome began, but was cut off from InuYasha's yell.

" DON'T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT KAGOME!!! JUST DON'T!!! "

" Inu..Yasha?..."

" You're gonna be fine! Okay Kagome! Fine! You'll see! So don't even talk that way! " InuYasha hissed at her, tears now forming in his eyes.

" InuYasha...don't make this harder than it needs to be..."

" Shut up damnit! I told you not to talk! Kaede will help you! She can wrap up your wounds! You'll be okay! "

" Oh InuYasha..." Kagome momentarily closed her eyes, then opened them again. She knew there was no hope for her, she'd lost to much blood already, and it hurt so much...

" InuYasha, please...I beg of you...just stay here and hold me for a little while...just a little while..."

InuYasha looked deep into her eyes. Her pain-filled orbs were pleading with him, begging him to do this for her. He found he just couldn't say no.

InuYasha removed his haori, and wrapped it around Kagome, hoping it would keep her warm enough. He then brought her to his chest and held her as close as he could, burying his face in her matted hair.

" Thankyou InuYasha..." Kagome said, content knowing that she'd die in his arms...

Behind them, Miroku Sango and Kirara came up to them. Miroku froze, and Sango nearly choked on her tears.

" No...Kagome..." She nearly ran forward to Kagome and InuYasha, but Miroku grabbed her waist and pulled her to him, allowing her to sob her heart out on his chest. Kirara cried out in despair.

" Kagome..please...please don't leave...don't leave me..." InuYasha choked out, his heart was breaking. He failed to save another woman that was important to him. It was Kikyou all over again.

" InuYasha...are- are you crying?..." Kagome asked.

InuYasha lifted his head from her hair, and felt fresh tear drops fall down his cheeks. He couldn't speak. He'd lost all his will to do so...

" InuYasha...please don't cry...Its horrible seeing you cry..." Kagome said.

InuYasha was silent for a few seconds.

" Kagome...I'm begging you, " InuYasha finally spoke, "...don't leave me...I can't bear to loose another woman I lo-..."

" Another you what, InuYasha?..."

" I-...I-...I just can't..." InuYasha fumbled with the right words to say. It felt like his head was spinning in a never ending black hole. His emotions were just becomming to much for him, he never thought he could feel so much pain, agony, sadness and heartbreak all at once...

"I CAN'T LOOSE YOU TOO, KAGOME!!! YOU PROMISED YOU'D NEVER LEAVE ME!!! " InuYasha yelled in complete breakdown.

_**...I'll always be by your side...**_

Kagome looked at him sadly, her own heart breaking at his expression. She'd never thought she'd live to see him like this, never. She wanted to reach up and hold him, to never let him go, but she couldn't. She was loosing her strength so fast. She knew she didn't want to leave him. Him, or everyone else she cared for, but she knew fate was against her now. She could hear Sango shaking with sobs against Miroku through the rain. Miroku himself was crying, and Kirara was sending out desperate mews of utter despair. Finally, Kagome spoke.

" InuYasha..." She began.

**" InuYasha, I love you. I love you with all my heart. I never wanted to leave you, never. I know I can't expect you to return my feelings, but at least I can leave this world knowing you know the truth..."**

_**Flashback**_

_**Kagura, Kanna and Naraku's incarnation listened as Kagome spoke her hear out to them.**_

_**" I know that...all these feelings...they mean that I...that I..." Kagome paused.**_

_**" THEY MEAN I'M IN LOVE WITH INUYASHA!!! "**_

_**End flashback**_

" I'll always love you InuYasha, nothing, not even death will change that. Just know that I'll never truly leave you, any of you, even in death..."

Miroku, Sango and Kirara watched and listened in awe. InuYasha couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Kagome had changed everything at that moment, with just three simple words. _I love you. I love you. I love you..._

He couldn't stand it anymore. He knew he'd cared for her like this for a long time. But with his feelings still strong for Kikyou, it had been difficult. He new now though, if he didn't let her know that very instant, he might never be able to tell her.

" Kagome, I...I..." Why was this so hard?

" Kagome...I...I love you..."

Kagome looked up at him, eyes slightly widened in surprise for a few moments. Then Kagome's face broke out into a beautiful, genuine smile. She truly beamed at him, even though it hurt. He'd said what she never believed she'd hear, not from him. _Ever._ Even on the verge of death, those three words were like music to her ears. A tear came running down her face.

" Thankyou InuYasha. Thankyou so much..." With those last words, Kagome closed her eyes, and did not open them again.

_-with Kaede, Shippo and Kohaku-_

" Lady Kaede, look! Look at the sky! " Kohaku said, standing outside the old priestess's hut.

Kaede came outside and looked up. The rain had finally subsided, but the night sky was a deep blood red, and the shadow of complete sorrow and sadness filled the night air.

" I smell blood! Lots of it! " Shippo said, his face contorting with dread and worry as he sniffed the air._ " Kagome's blood...no! KAGOME! " _ Kaede and Kohaku turned to the wailing kitsune, but not before a horrid sound full of pain and anguish sounded across them.

Everyone in the village froze, as a heart wrenching howl filled the sky around them.

It came from up near the mountains. Where not so long ago, InuYasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku and Kirara had gone for the final battle with Naraku.

_-with InuYasha, Sango, Miroku and Kirara-_

InuYasha's heatbeat stopped, his eyes widened and a single tear fell down.

_" K...Kagome...Kagome...KAGOME!! NO!! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!! "_

InuYasha shook Kagome's body, still wrapped tightly in his haori and pleaded with her to open her eyes.

" KAGOME! KAGOME! WAKE UP DAMNIT! YOU STUPID GIRL! OPEN YOU'RE EYES! DON'T DO THIS AFTER YOU TOLD ME THAT! DON'T DIE NOW! NOT NOW!! "

InuYasha's attempts proved futile, and his friends felt complete anguish and sorrow overthrow them as they watched InuYasha try to reach Kagome. Kirara roared into the air, Sango collapsed in a heap, her body completely wracking with sobs. Miroku knelt down and wrapped his arms around her, his own tears spilling out like a waterfall. _They'd been to late..._

Miroku suddenly recalled something from a long time ago...

_**Flashback**_

_**" Kagome are you crazy?!? You could have gotten yourself killed! " InuYasha scolded her.**_

_**Kagome sat herself up from beside Miroku and looked at InuYasha.**_

_**" I wouldn't have done it if I'd had any doubts! He can't be all bad if he tried to save the villagers! Lets at least give him a chance! " **_

_**End Flashback**_

_" Kagome was the first to see good in me..." _recalled Miroku.

Sango felt immobile...

_**Flashback**_

_**" InuYasha! We really got to work on your people skills! No wonder everybody thinks you're rude! " Kagome said, as she turned away from the half demon and to the troubled demon slayer Sango.**_

_**" He puts on a big tough guy act just to hide that hes actually a big softie underneath. "**_

_**" Hmmph! You wish! " InuYasha snorted.**_

_**End flashback**_

_" She'd always do her best to be there for me...like the sister I never had..."_ Sango thought through her tears.

InuYasha had blocked out all noise from around him. He didn't want to listen to the pained sounds of sadness erupting from his companions. Loosing Kikyou had been one thing. It had nearly killed him inside, and the only real thing that kept him going was Kagome. Now that she had left him, like Kikyou had, he didn't know how he'd cope. His emotions continued to stack up inside him, finally boiling over the top in a long, mournful scream of pain, anguish, loss...heartbreak... He would never see Kagome again. Never see her smile at him, never be sat by her again, never be touched by her again...never comforted...or loved... It all came out in one...

" KKKAAAGGGOOOMMMEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "

InuYasha howled into the night air, a sound that could be heard for miles around. The rain, which had previously stopped, came crashing down again, soaking them all. InuYasha sobbed and sobbed. He couldn't remember crying like this in so long...not _even _when Kikyou had died, only when he'd lost his mother. He had held emotions in like this for so long, too proud and stubborn, but now he didn't see even half the point. He had lost the most important thing in his life at that point, and felt he had no one now. He felt completely alone...a feeling he never wanted to have again...a feeling he thought was dead and buried after he met Kikyou...and then again after Kagome...

InuYasha looked once more at Kagome's lifeless body, right up to her face. He remembered so much. How she had been there for him when he'd turned full demon, risking her own life to save him and then to comfort him afterwards. How he had left her for Kikyou so many times but still she had stayed with him, though it must have been hurting her inside. How she cared and looked after Shippo, took him in as if one of her own...how she'd always been there for _all _of them. Not skilled in attacks and knowing very little of the feudal time she had found herself in, she had still tried _so _hard in battles they fought..._so _hard to help in whatever ways she could..._so _hard to live up to expectations for _them, _so _they _would be happy...

InuYasha knew Kagome had a big heart, and though with a firey temper to match, he had never quite known _how _big her heart really was until _now_.

_**Flashbacks**_

_**" You really hate me, don't you? "**_

_**" Oh InuYasha, it must be so hard for you..."**_

_**" InuYasha, sit boy! "**_

_**" Is that all I am to you? Oh, how could I forget? You've got a thing for dead girls! "**_

_**" I'm sorry I made you worry InuYasha..."**_

_**" Your mother used to make this? And she taught you how to make it too? "**_

_**" I was worried...Are you really okay?..."**_

_**" I was afraid you might forget about me..."**_

_**" I saw everything that happened between you anf Kikyou! I had a front row seat! "**_

_**" Kikyou and I are completely different...but theres one thing we have in common...our desire to be with you..."**_

_**" InuYasha, will you let me stay? "**_

_**" I like you just the way you are..."**_

_**" I love you...I love you as a half demon..."**_

_**End flashbacks**_

InuYasha wasn't sure what was happening anymore. He was looking down at Kagome's face, He tightened his arms around her body, lifting it back onto his lap. He could feel and smell her blood all over his hands, arms and white under shirt, and knew he must really look something horrid. His hair stuck to his face through the rain, as it mingled with his fallen tear trails. He didn't care how he looked, or what he felt around him, there was only one thing that mattered to him now.

He rested his forehead just above Kagome's, and ever so slowly began to bend to rest his head further down. His next action cause everyone to hault their mourning and look up. Look up and see something futile but full of warmth and meaning, something they didn't think they'd see InuYasha of all people do.

They watched in awe and sorrow at the same time, as InuYasha bent his head down to Kagome slowly, and then kissed her.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Well, there you go, keep telling me what you think! **

**Phew! that took me a little while, and personally I'm pleased with it, but you may see otherwise.**

**I may write 1 or 2 more chapters before I put this story to an end, I have more ideas developing.**

**What do you think? Is Kagome really dead? Should I keep it this way and leave it? Or could Kagome possibly come back to life in some way unknown to me yet?? **


	4. The Miko's true light

**Okay, just to let you know, I've been royally **_**STUMPED**_** on how to properly end this story!**

**All sorts of endings have been going around in my mind so please appreciate that!**

**I said before I was going to try and make this as similar to the anime and manga as possible, so characters won't be too OOC, just how **_**I**_** think they would react to a situation like this**.

**Okay, so enjoy and PLEASE review! Thankyou!**

**The Miko's true light : Past and Present souls**

A girl was falling, continuously falling into darkness. She was falling into nothingness, a deep, dark abyss of nothingness. She'd lost all feeling in her body, her skin was frozen and pale, and her eyes were only slightly open, revealing cold, emotionless brown eyes. Her clothes blew carelessly around her as she continued to fall deeper and deeper, long black hair following in suit down her back.

_" Kagome! "_

_Who did that voice belong to?_

_" Kagome! Kagome! Kagome wake up! Please wake up! "_

_There it was again, a desperate, masculine voice..._

_" Kagome please wake up! "_

_Who did it belong to? And who was Kagome? The one the voice was calling for?..._

_" KAGOME!!! "_

_Who are you? _

_" KAGOME!!! "_

_Who...Who am __**I**_

Who _was _she? She didn't know anything. She couldn't remember anything. She couldn't see any of her surroundings. She couldn't feel anything. _All _she could hear was _that _voice...

It sounded _so _desperate. So sad. It was pleading with someone, begging them for something. Who were they calling for?

The girl seemed able to register something. The more of that voice she heard, the more anxious she became. That voice had suddenly started to sound familiar.

_" Don't leave me! "_

She didn't like the voice, or at least not how it sounded. He, whoever _he _was sounded so incredibly heartbroken, and she found herself wanting to comfort him somehow, make whatever was causing his suffering go away. But how could she?

She didn't even have a clue who she was, let alone know who the voice belonged to...

_**" You do not even know who you are? " **_

Oh great, perfect! Another voice sounded to her. This one was different though, this one was feminine, and sounded perfectly calm, as if they had no troubles whatsoever.

_**" Tell me who you are "**_

_NO! STOP IT! MAKE THOSE VOICES STOP!!_

This was really confusing her. How was she supposed to answer that anyway!?! She didn't have a clue.

The girl felt something all of a sudden. A touch just below her right shoulder, a _warm _touch. Absentmindedly, the girl fully opened her eyes and looked infront of herself, still falling into the nothingness. She gasped at the sight.

A woman, with long billowing black hair, wearing a white shirt and red hakama pants was falling alongside her.

_Huh? Who are you? Was that your voice I could hear?_

She vaguely noticed that the woman was the one she'd felt touch her chest. The girl glanced at her chest, and for the first time noticed a red liquid pouring out of a deep gash just below her shoulder. _What? How did I-_

_**" Listen to me girl. You must tell me who you are " **_The woman falling beside her spoke.

_Wha? What? I...I can't!_

_**" Do you not want to leave this terrible place? Surely you want to escape hell's clutches..."**_

_WHAT?!? HELL'S CLUTCHES?!?!! _The girl staggered at the woman.

_Wait...Does...Does that mean that I'm...dead?_

_**" All will be answered, but you MUST remember WHO you are! It is a great evil's doing that has sent you here! But I can help you escape the evil's grasp, if you can just answer me this one question! Only then can you save yourself! "**_

_No-..No...I...I don't know! _The girl was beginning to feel fear.

_**" Tell me who you are! "**_

_I don't know! I have no idea!_

_**" Tell me who you are! "**_

_I told you! I DON'T know!!_

_**" Tell me who you are! "**_

Something flashed before the girls eyes...

_**Flashback**_

_**The girl stood infront of her opponent, completely exhausted. She'd had enough, the dark priestess Tsubaki had cursed her! Tried to send her to her death! Then she'd dared to try and kill HER friends!**_

_Tell me who you are..._

_**The girl readied her bow and arrow.**_

_**" I am KAGOME! I'm not anybody else! "**_

_**She fired.**_

_**End flashback**_

_Wha-...was that me?..._

_" You must stop! Shes gone InuYasha! Theres nothing you can do..."_

WHAT?!? _Another _VOICE!!??!

_" NO! SHES NOT GONE DAMNIT!! SHE PROMICED! Promiced she'd NEVER leave me..."_

The desperate voice again...the one that sounded so familiar now...

A name had been mentioned: _Inu...?_

_**" Rememeber girl! Tell me who you are! "**_

_Inu..Inu...?_

_**Flashback**_

_**" Sit boy! "**_

_**The girl was about to stomp off when...**_

_**" Grrrr What did you that for KAGOME?!? " A boy demanded.**_

_**She turned back round.**_

_**" SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! "**_

_**The boy let out a painful moan.**_

_**" INUYASHA! You're SUCH a jerk! "**_

_**With that, the girl stalked off.**_

_**End Flashback**_

_Inu...? Inu...Inu...Yasha?..._

_" KKKAAAGGGOOOMMMEEE!!!! "_

_Yasha...Inu...Yasha...INUYASHA!!!!_

She suddenly felt a warm tingling senation on her lips...it warmed her very soul...

_INUYASHA!!! _

_**" YOU KNOW HIM! NOW TELL ME WHO YOU ARE! "**_

_**" NOW GIRL!!! "**_

_I...I am Kagome!_

A bright aura surrounded the two women. They both stopped falling imediately, literally suspended in mid air. The light let off crept round them both and warmed the air around them. The hand that was touching the girl's chest glowed brightly aswell, and the bloody wound healed.

The darkness dispersed, revealing complete brightness that out did the women's own light. They were now standing in _whiteness. _Complete _whiteness _was the only way to describe it. Though they were no longer falling, both of the women's hair was blowing out around them in waves, aswell as their clothes.

**" Well done Kagome " **

She knew the woman in front of her. _Kagome _spoke truly for the first time.

" Thankyou, Kikyou "

_-with InuYasha, Miroku, Sango and Kirara-_

InuYasha ceased his mouring imediately. He'd just had the strangest sensation. Strangely _wonderful _that was.

Miroku, Sango and Kirara looked up to where InuYasha still cradeled Kagome's body. What they saw nearly knocked the breath out of them.

Kagome's body was..._glowing?..._

It was true, Kagome's body _was _glowing. Brightly at that. Her hair was billowing out all around her, clothes aswell in some sort of 'invisable' wind.

InuYasha's mouth was agape. Kagome's body had risen out of his arms and was now floating in mid air. He and his friends watched as the wound in Kagome's chest seemingly healed itself completely. Not a scar left behind.

Her body was slowly lowering again, and, snapping out of his trance, InuYasha came forward and caught Kagome in his arms once more. _" Ka...Kagome?..."_

The others were in COMPLETE shock, astonishment AND amazement. _What _had just happened to Kagome?

Though her body was no longer floating, Kagome was still faintly glowing and her hair, clothes and InuYasha's haori were still blowing around in her in all directions. InuYasha stared at her face.

Her face was no longer pale, nor did her skin feel deathly cold, infact, it felt very warm now. Her skin was giving off the warm glow. It was a faint pink colour, the sort of colour Kagome's arrow left after she fired it. A spiritual glow.

The glow was now disapearing, the apparent wind still there, but Kagome was now turning pale again, her skin now loosing its gained warmth.

" Kagome! "

InuYasha brought his haori around her as tight as he could and pressed her body against his, hoping she would regain the warmth again. He once more rested his forehead on hers, her long black flowing hair lightly touching his face in steady wisps backward and forward, over and over.

_**" InuYasha "**_

InuYasha shot his eyes open at that voice. For a second he'd thought it was Kagome, but this voice was most definately not Kagome now he listened to it. It was very familiar though.

_" Kikyou? " _InuYasha asked mentally.

_**" Hello again, InuYasha "**_

_" Kikyou! How are you here?!? Where are you?!? _InuYasha's voice was laced exitement and shock at the same time. _Had Kikyou come back to him?_

_" Kikyou? You're not really here are you? Its just me..."_

_**" Oh no InuYasha, I am here, but only in spirit, my body is forever lost to me..."**_

_" Kikyou? "_

_**" InuYasha. I am here only to help. Know that I can never truly return from the dead. My time in the world of the living has come and gone, my soul has passed on. I am at peace, like you always said you wanted, I can finally rest, at least after I finish a little leftover business "**_

_" Business ? "_

_**" One involving a corrupted half-demon, a half-demon you were able to rid this world of, a great evil "**_

_" Naraku " _InuYasha growled.

InuYasha had a thought.

_" Was it you?... When Kagome's body glowed like that? "_

_**" Me and her "**_

InuYasha's exitement grew again.

_" You AND Kagome?!? "_

_**" Yes. Well mostly Kagome's will power, and also your own infact "**_

_" I helped cause that glowing?!? "_

_**" You gave her the strength to fight back "**_

_" Huh? " _InuYasha was now confused.

_" How? "_

Kikyou chuckled lightly.

_**" Do you not remember that symbol of deepest affection you gave her in her passing? "**_

_" Errr..." _Symbol of deepest affection?

_Does Kikyou mean the kiss?_

_**" Yes InuYasha, thats exactly what I mean. Do not try to tell me otherwise. Listen to me InuYasha, I am aware of the past feelings you had and may still have for me. Kagome understands aswell as anyone that your old feelings will not just dissapear, just as mine for you. But I am dead InuYasha, a woman who has finally found piece in the world of the dead, as fate dipicted I should. Through death even though, my heart will forever be yours. "**_

_**" I want you to live on in your life InuYasha, not forvever over shadowed by my passing. You will not feel guilt as it was not your fault, and neither was it Kagome's. I would have passed on eventually InuYasha, with or without Naraku's interference. There was nothing you could have done. "**_

_**" Live your life InuYasha. I do not wish for you to be alone in this world, ever. I know that I am not the only one in your life either. "**_

_" You're talking about Kagome. I know now the mistakes I've made with her. The first being that I ever cared for her at all...but I can't stop fate. Kikyou? I...I can't loose her to. I just can't loose her aswell as you...it would be to much...it already hurts like nothing ever has before...I need her with me now Kikyou...I need Kagome by my side again...I can't loose her too..."_

_**" I understand completely InuYasha, nor do I want you to have a life like that. I have come here to tell you, that there IS a way to bring Kagome back..."**_

_" Theres...Theres a way?!? How?!? I thought the dead were meant to stay dead..." InuYasha said._

_**" That is true. But it just wasn't meant to be for Kagome, not yet, it isn't her time. She has her whole life ahead of her. She has family, friends...and you...she never wanted to leave you..."**_

_" Kikyou? "_

_**" Kagome's faith in herself and her love for you allowed her to overcome the darkness that consumed her. The darkness that caused her death by the hands of the tainted Naraku. The kiss you gave her allowed her to regain herself, regain what she had lost in her passing. It did not however, save her completely. "**_

_" What do you mean?!? " _Fear gripped InuYasha's heart once more.

_**" You noticed how her skin was cooling once again. It is a sign that she has little time left before she passes on completely, though not to hell. You must help her if you want her to return, she cannot do it alone, her will power alone is not strong enough. "**_

_" No! What do I have to do?! "_

_**" Kagome heard your voice. It brought her to her sences. She is now however stuck in the border between life and death, and cannot escape without you. "**_

_" Tell me what to do! "_

_-with Kagome-_

So. Kikyou had come back to help her for a second time. She was shocked to say the least, but still incredibly thankful. Kikyou had helped her remember who she was, who she cared for, her memories she'd almost lost forever.

Kikyou still hadn't answered her question though. How was she there with Kagome? She'd stayed with Kagome while she died, told her that there was no way to escape death. How had she come and saved her then? Helped her to escape such darkness?...

All these questions were buzzing around inside her, and she failed to notice that Kikyou's spirit had dissapeared.

When she did notice, Kagome panicked. She was alone again. All alone. The voices had all stopped, and she was starting to feel the wind around her, it was so cold...

_-with InuYasha-_

" Kagome! " InuYasha called out to her.

Kagome's body was now being surrounded by a blue hue, and her skin was growing ever colder, ever paler.

_" Kikyou whats happening?!? Whats going on?!? " _InuYasha shouted to Kikyou.

_**" It is as I feared. Kagome has not been completely saved. Death wants to consume her, take her from this world, so she would be forever lost to it. Its calling her, filling her with that same darkness once more, and I am afraid I cannot stop it this time..."**_

_" No! Kikyou please! You HAVE to help her! "_

_**" I cannot InuYasha. She is stuck on the border between life and death. I could only help her temporarily, and do nothing more than that. As I said before, my own will is not strong enough, nor is hers on her own. The darkness that Naraku's tentacle gave her is the thing that is holding her down. Its pulling her back toward the gates of hell, fueling on the insercurity and fear that now fills her heart...She won't last much longer InuYasha, death will win...unless you can help her... "**_

_" Damnit! Tell me what to do! "_

_**" You must reach out to her InuYasha. You must let her know that she is not alone. Keep her knowing that you're there for her, that you need her, that everyone needs her. Let her know you'll always be there for her...Only light can overcome the darkness she feels now..."**_

_-with Kagome-_

" Kikyou! Kikyou! Kikyou where are you?!? " Kagome desperately shouted.

She was scared, and there was nothing Kagome could do. She was all alone in an unknown place, far, far away from those she cared for.

It was _so _cold...

The wind was getting stronger...

Suddenly, out of no where, a great hole opened up near her feet, and it was slowly getting bigger. The wind seemed to be comming from inside it. Kagome screamed, as she ran away as far as she could from it. There was such a horrible noise echoing from it, the yells of pained humans, demons and half-demons alike. It terrified her, and she held her hands over her ears to block out the dreadful sound.

All around her, the safe whiteness she had been in with Kikyou had started to fade, revealing a swirling mass of black and red. The darkness she had been falling into before. Kagome wildly looked at her surroundings, and then back at the hole. Whatever was inside there, it was calling out to her beckoning her into it...

_Could...could it be the clutches of hell that Kikyou spoke of?..._

Despite the terrifying look of this deep, black and windy hole, Kagome found herself drawn to it in some strange way.

_**Come...come with me... **_An unknown force called to her.

" Wha?...What...What are you!? " Kagome asked, trying to swallow the lump in her throat that had formed.

_**Come...you must come with me...its where you truly belong... **_The sinister voice called again.

_What?! Go with that...creepy voice! No! It was tricking her! It had to be! She wouldn't let it get to her!_

_**Dear Kagome...do you want to continue to be the cause of suffering that your loved ones endure?...**_

" Suffering...What do you mean!? "

_**Ever since you freed that Half breed InuYasha from the Miko Kikyou's spell, all you have done is cause suffering to those around you. You shattered the shikon no tama. The demon slayer..Sango..she lost her brother to Naraku because of you! "**_

_No...They'd saved Kohaku! Naraku was dead!_

_**She may have him back now...but whos to say what she really feels about it...whos to say that she doesn't blame you for her family's suffering in the first place?**_

_NO! Sango's my friend! She'd never hate me..._

_**And Shippo? He lost his parents over a shard of the jewell that **_**you **_**shattered! Who is to say he doesn't feel anger toward you for that?! Whos to say he doesn't hate you for the death of his parents... I know I would...**_

" SHUT UP! I know what you're trying to do! You're trying to turn me against them! You're trying to make me want to forget them all again! I WON'T let you do that! "

_**Oh? And what of InuYasha? How much do you think hes suffered because of your own mistake? You are the reason he suffers. You couldn't save the ONLY woman he ever loved, Kikyou...YOU let her die for a second time because of you're own weakness! And he blames you to...InuYasha blames her death on you...he hates YOU...**_

_NO!! INUYASHA! HE...he wouldn't...he can't hate me! _

_**All those times he protected you...he was just looking out for his shard detector...that way he could dispose of you when the jewell was whole again. He could wish Kikyou back and finally be with his true love again...**_

_NO! THATS NOT TRUE!! _Kagome had tears streaming down her face. She knew it was true though. She was the cause of everyones suffering...So many people had lost their lives because of her silly mistake...Sango lost her family, Shippo lost his parents...and InuYasha...he lost Kikyou...the only woman he could ever lost...

_**I am aware of the pain you feel Kagome...so don't let them suffer anymore...leave them, rid yourself of them...forget them...you only ever cause them pain after all...come with me...come with me to hell instead...where you truly belong, where you will no longer feel the pain of being the cause of their suffering...where you can forget all the pain...they hate you anyway...**_

" They...they hate me?..."

_**More than anyone Kagome, they despise you. Forget them Kagome...come with me...**_

_N-No..I cant-...Inu...Inu...I-Inu... _What was she trying to say?...

_I-In...S-san...Ship...M-Miro...Kira...? _She couldn't remember their names!

Wait...whos names?...The names of the ones she loved? But she didn't love anyone right? There was no one...no one she cared for...she didn't feel emotions...she felt no pain...she felt nothing...

She didn't even know her own name now...she couldn't remember her own name. Maybe she never was...never existed...she didn't have a name at all...ever...

_**Thats right...girl...forget everything...leave the world you knew behind...**_

Kagome started to glow a light blue, and grew deathly pale. The wind that only affected her came back again...tossing her hair and clothes around once more. All the while Kagome's eyes grew emotionless...lifeless...completely oblivious to her surroundings...the wind...or what she felt...

The darkness was consuming her..._death _was consuming her now...

_**Yes Kagome...forget...allow darkness to feel you're heart...and let me...let death devour your soul!**_

A bright ball of light escaped Kagome. It flew over to the hole, and became enveloped by the darkness. After a few minutes, another ball of light flew out of her, and was once again consumed by the hole. More and more came out of her, little by little, bit by bit, slowly at first, but quickening every minute. Pieces of Kagome's soul.

_-with InuYasha-_

_**" You must hurry InuYasha! The darkness is devouring her soul as we speak! " **_Kikyou urged.

_" HOW?! How can I get to her! Shes on the border between life and death for crying out loud! Theres no way she could hear me! " _InuYasha shouted. The tears had come back again.

_**" You must act somehow InuYasha! If you don't Kagome will be lost to this world forever! "**_

No. InuYasha wouldn't let that happen.

He looked around wildly, looked at the saddening faces of his friends. They didn't know that Kikyou's spirit was here, only InuYasha seemed to. They'd heard InuYasha shout Kagome's name again, and the small ray of hope that they had gathered from earlier when Kagome's wound had healed had dissapated.

Something sparkling caught InuYasha's keen eyes. He gently placed Kagome's body on the ground and hurredly ran over to what he'd seen. _Could it be?..._

He reached the spot, and bent down to pick up a pink, circular and glowing object.

_The shikon-no-tama! _

A sudden idea came into InuYasha's head. This was the jewell that had sealed Kagome's spiritual power! Maybe it still sealed some. Maybe if that was true...he could find a way to reach Kagome on the border between life and death! _Spiritually that was..._

InuYasha bounded back to Kagome's side with the Shikon jewell in hand.

" Inu...Yasha?..." spoke Sango. She blinked her tears away and looked up at him in curiousity, as did Miroku and Kirara.

InuYasha ignored them. His only focus at that point was reaching Kagome in time, before death completely consumed her, before he was too late. He sat down and held Kagome's glowing body close once more, clutching the Shikon jewell tightly at the same time, preying that this would work.

_**" Have faith InuYasha, trust in yourself and Kagome. " **_Kikyou finally said, before she dissapeared.

InuYasha concerntrated as best as he could. He thought of nothing but the thought of having Kagome back with him, having her safe in his arms once more, never to leave him again.

With that thought sercurly set in his mind, he closed his golden eyes tightly and whispered her name.

_Kagome..._

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Ok I am sorry if this chapter was alittle confusing for people, but I wasn't at ALL sure where to go with it. I sort of made it up as I went along, I hope thats not too obvious and that you still enjoyed it!**

**One more chapter and maybe an epilogue I think.**

**Please review! Thankyou! **


	5. Halfdemon and Miko

**Ritey, here we go next chapter!**

**Thankyou for all the reviews aswell! Keep them coming! **

**Half-demon and Miko : The love that transcends death?...**

_InuYasha concerntrated as best as he could. He thought of nothing but the thought of having Kagome back with him, having her safe in his arms once more, never to leave him again._

_With that thought sercurly set in his mind, he closed his golden eyes tightly and whispered her name._

_Kagome..._

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Kagome's soul continued to escape her, bright blue orbs of light shooting out in various directions, only to be devoured by the darkness that waited for them in hell.

She was all alone. She had no one in life. No one cared for her, loved her, they _all _hated her, despised her very being. Perhaps it was best to just forget, let the pain go away...

Her arms were parted lightly from her side, simply allowing death to take over her, devour her, as she willingly embraced it.

_-with Sango, Miroku and Kirara-_

All three of them watched in amazement, as InuYasha brought the Shikon jewell to his chest, closed his eyes, and whispered Kagome's name.

For a few minutes, nothing happened, but suddenly that all changed dramatically.

InuYasha's own body began to glow, his long silver mane flowing out around him. He was still clutching Kagome's body, tightening his grip on her and the jewell.

" Inu...Yasha?..." Sango quietly called in bewilderment, unable to move from her spot on the ground, Miroku's arms still wrapped around her frame.

Miroku could barely speak. He recognised that pink, glowing hue that surrounded InuYasha. Kirara seemed to aswell, as she watched intently with her red eyes.

The glowing stopped, though InuYasha's eyes were still tightly shut.

" InuYasha?..." Sango called out again, reaching a shaky hand forward slightly.

Miroku, clasped her hand, and gently brought it back to her side, never letting go of it.

" It...It's alright Sango...I-I think that InuYasha is..." He paused for a moment.

" I think he's connecting his spirit with Kagome's, on the border between life and death...he's trying to contact her..."

" H-How is that possible?..." Sango asked quietly.

" The Shikon-no-tama...it contains some of Kagome's spiritual power, it's like a connection...a gateway to her spirit and soul..." Miroku answered. Kirara mewed in agreement.

InuYasha seemed to be in some sort of deep sleep, oblivious to the world around him.

Miroku knew that this was the only chance they had of bringing Kagome back to life, and InuYasha was probably the only one Kagome's spirit would listen to at this point. She was so long, so far dead at this point, that he doubted even Sesshoumaru's Tenseiga could save her. InuYasha was their very last hope.

_" Good luck, my friend..." _

_-with Kagome-_

_**Yes...thats right little Miko, embrace death, let it overcome you... **_

Kagome heart was willingly obeying death's every command, allowing it to to taint her heart to the point she felt it could not be altered again.

" KAGOME! "

She didn't hear the voice.

" KAGOME! DAMNIT, DON'T LET IT WIN! " It shouted, louder than before.

She heard it that time, though it didn't really seem mean anything to her in the slightest. She felt nothing.

" KAGOME!!! LISTEN TO _ME_!! "

_That_ finally caught her attention. She slightly, ever so slightly turned her head to look over her shoulder with her lifeless eyes. She could very faintly make out a figure in the darkness.

_-InuYasha-_

InuYasha opened his eyes and found he was no longer in the battered canyon, but in a strange darkness that he could feel tearing at his soul, then releasing it again.

He could hear a wind, and the terrible cries of tormented spirits, trapped somewhere underneath his feet, though he could not see them.

He followed the sound of the noise, finally coming to notice the gaping hole. All the noise, the pained screams, the wind, was all echoing from that hole. It drove fear through him as he realised what it was. If he was on the border between life and death, then surely below him was..._hell..._

_The gates of hell..._

InuYasha saw something whizz through the air, a bright blue ball of light. It flew past him and entered the hole. He'd seen a glowing light that before...but where?

InuYasha turned sharply to where the lights were coming from and made out a frail form with his keen eyes. His heart froze once more.

There, standing out in the darkness, blue orbs of light escaping her, hair and clothes blowing out around her, was Kagome.

_" No...Kagome..." _

He knew why this scene felt so familiar to him now. When Kikyou had first been brought back to life, Kagome's soul had been used to give her her own. Blue orbs of light had shot into Kikyou from Kagome, giving the clay body she now possessed life. It hadn't worked for long though, as Kagome's body began calling back the lost pieces of her soul. He replayed over the scene as the orbs of light left Kikyou, whizzing back into Kagome. Kikyou helplessly held her arms in the air, unable to stop the pieces of soul from leaving her body. She managed to leave before they were all lost to her, but from then on she was forced to live on the souls of dead women to survive.

It seemed that Kagome really was suffering as Kikyou had. She looked so similar to that of how Kikyou looked over a year ago now. Loosing the pieces of her soul, bit by bit, little by little...

InuYasha had to stop it.

He called out Kagome's name, but to no effect. She seemed completely lost and alone, oblivious to what was happening. He tried again. Nothing.

InuYasha heard someone speak, a deeply sinister voice, coming from within the gates of hell.

_**Your soul belongs to me girl, it always will do. It belongs with me, where it can hide from the pain and guilt you have caused those you care for for sooo long. Your heart, mind, body and soul all belong to me...**_

InuYasha growled deeply at the voice. It was minipulating Kagome into giving her what it wanted! It was calling her soul from her, devouring it slowly. He _wouldn't _let it do that.

_**Yes...that right little Miko...embrace death, let it overcome you...**_

" KAGOME! " InuYasha yelled. Nothing.

" KAGOME DAMNIT! DON'T LET IT WIN! "

Still Kagome did nothing, continuously letting her soul come out of her...

InuYasha wouldn't give up though.

" KAGOME!!! LISTEN TO _ME!! "_

For a second it seemed like his prayers had been answered. Kagome turned her head to look over her shoulder at him, but something wasn't right. Kagome's eyes held no emotion whatsoever. They looked lifeless, dead even. She didn't seem to recognise him at all.

For the millionenth time that day, InuYasha's heart broke in two. This wasn't the Kagome he knew, this wasn't the Kagome who'd freed him from a curse that bound him to a tree so long ago. This wasn't the Kagome who stayed by him when he was human, putting her own life at risk to help him. This wasn't the Kagome who always stood by him and their friends, the one who was always smiling, who always knew what to say, who literally _had _kept their group together. This wasn't the Kagome who InuYasha couldn't stand in the beginning, who he had slowly grown to care and eventually gain feelings for. It wasn't the Kagome who had taught him how to love _again..._

No. Kagome _had_ to be in there somewhere. She just _had _to be! He'd be damned overwise...

InuYasha lunged forward, and in no time at all he had wrapped Kagome into his strong embrace. He held her there, just preying for her to recognise him, will herself to fight against the darkness.

Her hair was gently flicking his face in the wind, InuYasha's own flying wildly around her too. He looked down into her eyes. They were still _so _lifeless. She looked truly lost to the world...

InuYasha began to call out to her.

" KAGOME! You can't let it win! You have to fight! Don't let the darkness take you away! Don't let it take you away from me..."

Still, Kagome did nothing.

" Please Kagome! You have people who _need _you! Who would be completely lost without you! Shippo, Sango, Miroku..._me..._"

Kagome seemed to stir for a second.

" We _don't _hate you! We could _never _hate you Kagome! You were the one who shattered the jewell, and yes the shards were used to cause suffering among so many people, but that_ still _doesn't mean it was your fault! Bad may have come from it but so much good did too! It brought _us _together! It bought _all _of us together! Us, Shippo, Miroku, Sango and Kirara would never have met if it wern't for you! We'll alaways be thankful to you for that Kagome! Thats the _only _thing we have to blame you for! Miroku and Sango are getting married! Shippo has an adopted mother and I...I learned to let go and love once more... "

InuYasha thought he saw a glimmer of recognition in Kagome's eye. _Was it working!?_

" After Kikyou, I thought I could never love again. I thought that that was just the fate of a half-demon, a creature doomed to walk the earth forever alone. _You _were the first person to show me otherwise. _You _were the first person I learnt to truly trust, I hadn't even trusted Kikyou..._You_ broke the barriers around my heart Kagome, you taught me it was okay to feel... "

" I know there were times when I hurt you, when I ran off and left you to find Kikyou. There was even a time when I tried to leave you because of it...but it was because I knew how unfair it was to ask you to stay while I was with Kikyou...It would have hurt you so much...I couldn't bare to see that happen, not to someone I cared so much for..."

InuYasha brought Kagome closer, as close as he could without hurting her.

" Kagome...I can't live without you...I do still love Kikyou, a part of me always will...but that doesn't mean I can't be with you. Kikyou has finally been able to leave this world and rest in peace...I can move on...I can be with you always...just like you've been with me always..."

InuYasha lowered his head to hers, resting his lips just centimetres from hers.

" Kagome...don't forget us...don't forget me please...I couldn't bare it...it would kill me inside..."

Recognition was definately in Kagome's eyes now. The parts of her souls leaving her were starting to slow.

" Kagome...I...I-I lo..." InuYasha took a deep breath.

" Kagome, I love you "

He pressed his lips to hers.

_-Kagome-_

Kagome was aware completely of this man's presence now. He was holding her, clinging onto her, apparently unwilling to let go. She suddenly did feel something. While he was holding her, for a split second she _had _felt...happy? Was this what happy felt like?

It didn't matter, because as quickly as the feeling came, it went again.

The man's voice however, did feel...soothing in a way...though it was dripped in sadness and despair. It was trying to reach someone...who? _Kagome?..._

" Please Kagome! You have people who need you!..."

She listened this time as he continued to call out for this person. It did sound familiar, this voice. Despite her situation, she began to feel...safe, safe with him there, calling out...to _her, _maybe?

It seemed like a possibility...was she Kagome?

The girl slowly listened to the man continue on through the wind blowing violently around them. It sounded like he would stop at nothing to reach this Kagome person...She suddenly felt very sad...

Wait!? Sadness?...but she didn't feel anything! Right?...

Then why? Why was this desperate man's pleas upseting her so?...What could it mean?...

_" ...Shippo, Miroku, Sango and Kirara..." _The man carried on...

He sounded so familiar...so did those names he mentioned...

She was only hearing bits of it now. The girl felt the man bring her closer to him. He was...so warm.

_" Kagome...I do love Kikyou...a part of me always will..."_

Kikyou?...

_" ...but that doesn't mean I can't be with you...I can move on...I can be with you always...just as you've been with me always..."_

Me?...He_ is _talking to me...

_" Kagome...don't forget us...don't forget me please...I couldn't bare it...it would kill me inside..."_

_Stop...You sound so sad...I hate hearing you sound so sad...why DO I hate hearing you sound so sad?..._

_" I love you Kagome..."_

_Huh? _She felt so light all of a sudden...it warmed her dissapearing soul...

She felt something connect with her lips. That did it.

The moment he kissed her, everything came back...all her feelings.

Happiness, joy, sadness, loss, anger, hurt...love...

All that from the man kissing her...and herself...

_InuYasha?...She WAS Kagome!..._

_-InuYasha-_

InuYasha wasn't really sure why he kissed her again...it just felt like the right thing to do.

He did it partly because it was the only thing he could think that might trigger her memory, bring her to her senses...but more because it was something _he _wanted to do. Something he had wanted to do for a while now...and he hadn't even realised it until now...

It felt wonderful...

InuYasha finally pulled back, and looked into her face once more. His heart leapt for joy.

Kagome was smiling at him, giving him one of her true, genuine smiles. _She recognised him!_

The life was back in her eyes, now so full of emotion. Her soul had returned to her.

" Inu..Yasha..." Kagome whispered, looking up at him, still in his tight embrace. In turn she wrapped her arms around him aswell, burying her face into his chest. " You came..Y-You saved me..InuYasha thankyou...thankyou so much for helping me remember...thankyou..."

Kagome had started to sob now.

" Shhhhh...Kagome it's alright..." InuYasha whispered to her, dropping his head down on top of hers.

" N-No...It's not alright InuYasha! I let that darkness take over my soul...I forgot you...all of you! I was so stupid to let it manipulate me like that...to let it make me think those horrible things about all of you..." Kagome said through her tears.

" It doesn't matter anymore Kagome, you're back...you came back to us...to me..." InuYasha said.

Tightening her arms even more around him, Kagome was struck with a thought. _Did he really mean what he said? Does he really...love me?..._

" InuYasha? Can I...ask you something? " Kagome said, feeling a blush rush into her cheeks.

" Yeah...What is it Kagome? " InuYasha replied.

" Did...Did you mean it?...What you said before?..."

It was InuYasha's turn to blush.

" Errr...What do you mean? "

" Well...you know, before you kissed me, you said...you said you loved me..."

InuYasha's face turned so red it out did his haori.

" Um...err..." InuYasha stuttered.

_S-So he didn't mean it?... _Kagome felt heavier tears some to her eyes.

InuYasha saw this and panicked. He didn't mean it like that! It was hard for him to say...he was never good when it came to explaining how he felt...

" Kagome please don't cry " InuYasha said, lightly rubbing Kagome's back with his hand.

" So it's true then? You...You don't really love me at all?..." Kagome sobbed out.

" No Kagome! Everything I said before was true! All of it! I may still have feelings for Kikyou, but I _know _that I love _you._ I just never truely realised it until today..."

Kagome listened intently.

" When you closed your eyes...closed your eyes and didn't open them again...I thought I'd die with you...it was like the world had come to an end...I didn't want to live..."

As Kagome listened, the smile came back to her face. He really did love her. She felt so happy. How wrong had she been before, all those times he had gone off to Kikyou...

" Oh InuYasha..." Kagome looked up at him again, and he was glad to see she was smiling again.

" You...You know I feel the same way...don't you? " Kagome asked.

InuYasha looked at her for a few seconds, then smiled himself. It took Kagome's breath away, she'd never seen him smile like that before. She rarely ever saw him smile...

He nodded his head at Kagome, and once again returned his to his hold on her, hugging her like their lives depended on it...in a sense it had done.

Kagome returned the hug with as much emotion as she could muster, letting him know how thankful and greatful she was to him, how happy she was just be being like this with him. It was all she'd ever really need.

The gates to hell had closed, the voice had disaapeared, and the whiteness from before had returned, destroying the darkness that had taken over.

Kagome was lightly glowing again, but not the colour of death like before. It was her very own spiritual glow, a light pink similar to that of the sacred jewell. A light wind picked up around her aswell, tossing her hair around gently once more.

" Kagome? " InuYasha looked at her. She looked truely beautiful just then. Her long raven hair blowing around her pink, glowing form. She had a wonderful smile on her face aswell.

" I'll see you soon, InuYasha..." Kagome said, before dissapearing out of his arms and into the white light around them.

" Kagome! " InuYasha called, fearing he'd lost her yet again. He tried to reach out, but found he was being pulled back by an unknown force.

InuYasha was being pulled backwards into an endless whiteness...

_-Normal POV-_

InuYasha opened his eyes to find himself lieing on the cold, stone floor of the canyon they had battled in earlier. He scanned around at his surroundings quickly, before slowly sitting up.

" InuYasha! " InuYasha turned around to find his friends running towards him, fear and exitement evident on their faces.

he was about to stand, when he felt something warm touching his side lightly. He turned and looked down to find Kagome's still form lieing next to him.

" Kagome! " InuYasha pulled her carefully up into his arms again. She was still motionless though.

" No! Kagome! Not again! Please don't leave me again..." InuYasha cried to her, burying his nose into her hair once more, feeling utter despair and sadness fell his heart again.

He had failed to save her...it had been their last hope...and he'd failed...he'd lost Kagome for good this time...

InuYasha began to quietly sob into her hair.

" Uhhh...huh?...Inu...Yasha? P-Please don't cry..." InuYasha heard a familiar voice call to him.

" I hate to see you cry..."

InuYasha opened his eyes when he felt something touch his face gently. He found Kagome looking at him, a weak smile on her face, rubbing his cheek lovingly with her hand.

" Ka-Kagome?...You're...You're alive! " InuYasha cried, feeling the sadness disperse to be replaced with complete happiness. _She was alive! She was okay! Kagome was back with him...weak...but still alive and breathing!_

InuYasha wrapped her back into his embrace, holding her there, burying his face into the crook of her neck, never wanting to let go.

From behind the two, Miroku, Sango and Kirara came literally galloping. They had seen Kagome stroking InuYasha's face, heard InuYasha's rare cry of joy, and knew their prayers had been answered.

_Kagome had come back to them._

_-back at the village-_

Shippo's heart leapt when he saw four figures come into view on the horizon. He recognised the scents immediately, and went pounding toward them as quick as lightening.

Kaede and Kohaku heard Shippo's gasp of surprise and turned around to see what was wrong. They too could make out four silloheuttes on the horizon. Three people, one of them carrying a large bundle, and a great cat were walking steadily toward them. Smiles of pure joy broke out onto both Kaede and Kohaku's faces as Kohaku made his way as fast as he could towards the group, Kaede following behind him.

Sango ran with Kirara to meet her brother, nearly hugging the life out of him when she reached him.

Shippo jumped on a fustered Miroku and hugged him aswell, all the while yelling how glad he was that they came back to him.

" Hold on there, Shippo, don't wanna squeeze the life out of the houshi do ya!? "

Everyone turned to InuYasha, to see his usual smile plastered on his face, before it turned into a genuine smile. Tucked safely in InuYasha's arms, wearing his red outer haori, was Kagome, who watched and weakly smiled at them all. If she had the strength she would have jumped from InuYasha's arms and hugged all them with _all _her might, but for now she just setlled with the fact that they were all okay and back together again.

Later that night, the villagers had thrown a small celebration for the defeat of Naraku. InuYasha and his companions had recieved high praise for what they had done and would always be honoured as heroes in their village.

Kagome had been laying on a futon all day, slowly recovering and regaining her strength, and InuYasha had not left her side once. Words could not express how thankful she was that everything had turned out the way it did. Naraku was finally dead and the jewell was whole and now back safely at the village once more. She knew now the duty belonged to her to ensure it came to no evil again. She was now the miko who guarded the jewell.

Early morning, when she found InuYasha had finally gone to sleep, she crept out into the dawn air. Blood had covered all of her school clothes, so she had had to wear the traditional priestess garb that Kikyou had worn for the time being.

She walked slowly past the village huts, and into the forest near the well, though she had no intention of passing through to her time yet. She walked past the well and up to the God tree. She climbed up its roots, stumbling a little, and finally came to rest her hand on the scar in the tree, the scar that marked where InuYasha had been pinned by an arrow for 50 years so long ago. Kagome recalled the first day they had met, not the best first meeting. When she first freed InuYasha from the curse, she had gotten the impression that he was some sort of a psyco, he had tried to kill her to get the jewell. She doubted he'd thought much of her her either, a scrawny imitation of the woman he hated at the time. But, over the time that they had spent together, ahe knew that their relationship had changed for the better.

" You know, you really should be inside resting " A rough but strangly calming voice called to Kagome.

" Yeah, I know, but I got a bit bored laying on that futon for so long, and I kinda wanted to go think to myself for a little bit, clear my head. "

InuYasha jumped down from his spot on a nearby tree.

" And you picked here of all places to come? " he asked.

" Yeah, it seemed ideal. " Kagome said, sitting herself down against the side of the tree, " You want to sit with me InuYasha? Or are you just gonna keep staring at me from back there? "

" Feh! " InuYasha grunted, but came over to sit with her all the same.

Kagome giggled. " It's nice just having you here with me. " She said.

InuYasha feh'd again, but not before his eyes took on a look of concern when he noticed Kagome shivering.

" You cold, Kagome? " InuYasha asked, genuinely worried.

Kagome smiled at this. " Yeah...a little..." she replied.

InuYasha removed his haori once more and place it round her shoulders. She sighed in thanks.

" Feh " InuYasha said, trying his best to hide his rising blush.

Kagome saw it all the same though, and felt herself blushing aswell. She brushed it aside though, and gently leaned her head on InuYasha's shoulder, causing him to blush even more.

" Thanks for looking out for me, InuYasha. " Kagome said gently. She knew he found it hard to talk about his feelings, and found that for the time being she could settle with just knowing her loved her, wether he displayed it to her or not. She didn't care as long as she was with him. She closed her eyes in contentment.

InuYasha lowered his head to look at her. He smiled at her. He could hear her breathing starting to even out, signifying that she was drifting off to sleep. He placed his arm around her form, and brought her closer to his chest as she slept. He leaned back against the tree with Kagome, ears listening intently to his surroundings, should a demon attack them. He wasn't about to let anything else happen to Kagome again. He had come _so _close to loosing her yesterday.

He finally sighed in contentment, knowing there were no rogue demons nearby. He looked down at Kagome once more. She was definately asleep now. He lowered his head and ever so lightly brushed his lips against her forehead, before returning to rest his head against hers and at last falling into a peaceful slumber.

_Everything would be alright now._

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**Yay! This story is very nearly done!**

**I hoped you liked this chapter, I thought very long and hard about how to end it appropriately, without making it too OOC. I hope it's alright!**

**Okay I will add an epilogue, and then leave it at that.**

**It should be up soon, if not, I will have plenty of time to do it over the Christmas hols!**

**Please review! **


	6. Epilogue

**This is the epilogue and FINAL part to upload for this story (YAY!!!).**

**I have plans for some other stories aswell, but they're mostly in the planning stage...but not for long! I'll upload the next chapter of a brand new story ASAP!**

**Thankyou for all the reviews, but please keep them coming!**

**( good or not, they make me happy! )**

**So, on with the EPILOGUE...**

**Epilogue: In my field of paper flowers**

It had been at least a month since the final battle. Peace had returned to fuedal Japan, though battles still came and went between humans.

Sango was planning on marrying Miroku in the spring, neither of them could wait. Sango had known for a while that she had had feelings for the lecherous Monk, but for a while she had cast them aside. It wasn't until he had laid dying after using his wind tunnel to save Sango and her brother _after_ he had been warned that his next time would surely kill him that she had realised how much she truly cared. Sango had kissed him, preying that he would pull through, that he'd be alright. It seemed that the gods really had been listening to her for once. The newly engaged demon slayer had come from loosing nearly all her family, to falling in love and saving her little brother Kohaku from a notorious half-demon.

Shippo stayed in the village, helping Kaede mostly, but still assisting his friends _and _family in any way he could. The little Kitsune had really grown up since his first encounter with Kagome and InuYasha.

As for the young priestess, she had been able to continue travelling back and forth between the two times. Kagome had made a promise to Kikyou that she would protect the Shikon-no-tama, and she planned on keeping that promise. As the newly appointed gardian of the jewell, it did mean she had higher responsibilities to forfill, as well as expectations from the villagers. Kagome had forced herself to train harder, and she was slowly getting better. Though not perfect with her bow and arrow, she had made a massive improvement, and was far more accurate in aim than ever before.

InuYasha still remained close by, notebly close to Kagome. The villagers would watch the two as they spent time together and it reminded them of a bond that had formed between the half-demon and their previous Miko, Kikyou. Their relationship had ended in tragedy, and they could only hope that this new one would not meet the same doom. Something inside them however, had told them that it was different this time round. The half-demon and Miko from the future seemed to truly trust eachother, and though there were still the occasional arguements between the two, they really did seem to genuinely _care _for one another. Their priestess, Kagome, loved the half-demon as he was, and the villagers knew, that no matter how kind and excepting of InuYasha Kikyou had been, she had still desired for him to become human for her. This was something they _knew _Kagome would never ask for him to do, and they _knew _how much he appreciated that in return.

For now, life had returned to normal in the fuedal era.

_-Kagome's time-_

About a week after the battle, Kagome had returned to her own time. She couldn't wait to see her family again, though she wasn't so sure how they'd take the news of her near death experience _or _the fact that she was responsible for protecting the Shikon jewell _and _an entire village.

They had taken it okay though, sure she could have done without her gramp's ranting and her mother's pestering but she knew that they only did that because they cared for her, because they worried. Kagome loved them so much for that.

Kagome was currently reading an epic novel under the shade of a Sakura blossom tree. She tuned out the hustle and noise of the city of Tokyo and concerntrated on reading her book, though true to say her mind was else where.

_" I wonder how everyone's doing "_ Kagome thought as she casually flicked through a couple of pages.

_" I've been gone nearly a week now, I hope their all okay. I will have to go back soon, I have a village to protect now, and I want the villagers to know that I'm gonna give it 101, even if it means I come back here to my own time once in a while. I mean, as big a duties as I have there, I do __**still**__ have a family here to. "_

Kagome put her book down, and gently rested her head on the trunk of the tree, closing her eyes. There was a slight breeze that gently tossed her hair, smoothly caressing her face. Kagome enjoyed the feeling as she began to relax in the park air.

Her mind started to wonder with thoughts of InuYasha. He had hardly left her side after the _incident, _as they liked to call it. Generally, everyone just wanted to forget the horrors of that day but they were still fresh in both Kagome's and InuYasha's minds. InuYasha had explained to her how truly scared he had been that day, how afraid he was of loosing her. Kagome was pleased he told her that, it showed that he really did care for her. She couldn't stand the thought of leaving or loosing InuYasha herself, and told him so aswell.

Kagome loved having InuYasha with her, even with the occasional bickering. It was like they could enjoy eachother's company without feeling uncomftable or worried about the prying eyes of their friends. Kagome did have the job of keeping demons out of the way now. Kagome chuckled lightly. She knew no demon would ever find its way within a hundred yards of her, InuYasha would always get them to them first, keeping Kagome out of harms way. Infact, InuYasha had was always there with her when she went out patrolling the village outskirts, never letting her out of his sight. Though she was thankful and pleased at his protectiveness, it did get a little annoying at times, but only _sometimes. _Kagome really did just enjoy being by InuYasha's side while he stayed by hers. Kagome really did love him.

Kagome sat up from under her spot leaning on the tree. She stretched her arms high, before standing up and making her way steadily out of the park. The breeze was still there, and Sakura blossoms were falling all around her, mingling a little with her hair, creating an astonishing contrast of pink and black.

Kagome heard and noise from behind her, a slight russle. It scared her for a moment, but the fear dissolved when she spied a spot of deep red mixed in with the branches of the tree she had been laying on. She smiled, glanced back over her shoulder one last time, before picking up her bike from by the swings and wheeling it towards the gate.

From behind her, a golden eyed figure watched over her intently. His keen eyes hadn't left her form since she'd first sat under the tree. He wasn't about to let _anything _happen to Kagome _ever _again.

InuYasha thought to himself. Sure maybe he was being a _little _over-protective but who could blame him? He'd almost lost Kagome a few days ago and he wasn't going to forget it too soon. That whole experience, though terrifying for him, had taught him to appreciate what he had with Kagome. He knew he wouldn't take her being with him for granted anymore and valued every second he had with her now. InuYasha was happy being able to spend as much time with her as he was, keeping her out of danger and helping her with her new Miko duties. Kagome seemed to enjoy his company as much as he did hers too. That made him happier than he'd been since he got her back, saved her from certain death. He hoped that bastard Naraku would rot in hell for what he tried to do.

As InuYasha watched Kagome wheel her bike away, wind tossing her hair gently and mixing it with the falling blossom, InuYasha couldn't help but think how he'd never seen anything more beautiful in such a long time. He himself knew now, that he loved Kagome. He had loved Kikyou, a part of him always would, but Kagome was the one infront of him now, not Kikyou.

InuYasha made a silent promise to himself, as he watched Kagome turn round and look up at his spot on the tree, then smile to herself. He smiled in turn, as he watched her retreating figure walk steadily back towards the shrine she lived at. He jumped down to a lower, more visable and stronger brach and continued to watch Kagome until she dissapeared from view. He then made his way back toward the well at the shrine himself, awaiting her return as usual.

He smiled once again to himself, as he replayed his promise to Kagome inside his head.

_" I promise I'll never leave you Kagome. I promise I'll always be by your side, for as long as we both live, for as long as you let me. Just as you have always done for me. "_

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**Okay! Yay! Story is finished! **

**Anyway once again thankyou for all the reviews, but please keep on reviewing!**

**Did you like it? Was it a bit too cheesy or as my younger sis puts it, **_**soppy?**_

**Let me know! I'll write more stories soon!**

**Thankyou again! **

**P.S DON'T ask me about the title! If I can I will change it, but i gave it mainly because I couldn't decide what to call this story, and i wanted something a bit different. Plus I REALLY just LOVE Evanecsence... hehe sorry...**


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